Device for removing obstructions from plumbing passageways.



J. A. MORRISON & J. H. LEVIN.

DEVICE FOR REMOVING OBSTRUCTIONS FROM PLUMBING PASSAGEWAYS. APPLICATION FILED MAR.8, 191s.

1,093,066. Patented Apr. 14; 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO..WASHINGTON. D. Cv

JOHN A. MORRISON AND JACOB H. LEVIN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA; SAID MORRISON ASSIGNOR- T0 SAID LEVIN.

DEVICE FOR REMOVING- OBSTEUCTIONS FROM PLUMBING PASSAGEWAYS.

essons.

To all 7117107 it may 6072( 6771.

Be it known that we, Join-t A. Monmsox and Jason H. LEVIN, citizens of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Removing Obstructions from Plumbing Passageways, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a device for re moving obstruct-ions from plumbing passageways such as the passageway leading from a closet bowl or from a sink.

It is the object of our invention to provide a device of the above class which will be capable of introduction within the passageway no matter how crooked or tortuous the same. may be to the point where the obstruction is to be found, and which is provided with a head member and means to positively rotate the same so that said head member will engage the obstruction and either tear the same to pieces so that it will be pushed forward and carried into the sewer by the usual flushing, or which will fasten itself upon the obstruction and may thereby withdraw the obstruction from the passageway.

The full objects and advantages of our invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof and are par ticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating the application of our invention in one town-Figure 1 is a side view of our device showing only a portion of the extended, flexible member. Fig. 2- is a side view partly in section of some of the parts shown in Fig. l on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is an end view of a form of head which may be employed.

The flexible member 10, preferably composed of an extended, closely-wound spiral spring, is threaded upon its upper end to a member 11, which in turn may be threaded into a head 12, or member 11 may be formed integrally with head 12. The head 12 is formed with a hollow portion 13, and enter ing this hollow portion is the end of a shank 14. spirally grooved as indicated at 15, the shank l t-being secured to the head 12 by means of a pin 16. A hand-hold 17 is pivotally secured for rotation upon the shank 1d and rotates freely upon said shank. A tubular member 18 having fast on the end thereof a handle 19 is mounted for slidingmove- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 8, 1913.

Patented Apr. 1d, 191%.

Serial No. 753,139.

ment along the grooved portion 15 of the shank 14. The inner portion of the tubular member 18 is provided with corrugations or lugs registering in the shank portion 15, said lugs not being shown as they form in combination with the spirally grooved portion 15 a well-known means for rotating a head member, such as a screw driver or boring bit, which specifically forms no part of our invention. Mounted upon the tubular member 18 between a collar 20 thereon and the handle 19, is a hand-hold 21, which is freely revoluble upon the tubular member 18. By this means. an operator holding in one hand the member 17 and in the other the handle 19 or member 21 may, by pushing the tubular member 18 back and forth along the spiral member 15 of the shank 14, cause said shank, and with it the head 12 and the flexible member 10, to rotate in either direction ornot at all, as desired.

Extending through a bore 22 in the threaded member 11 and centrally throughout the flexible member 10 is a tension member 23, preferably a steel wire in the form of a flattened or tape-like ribbon. The upper end of said tension member is formed with a member 2%, which, where a wire is used, may consist simply in a loop of said wire which member or loop will come within the cavity 13 formed in the head 12. The lower end of the tension member is provided with an eye 25, and by means of a series of links 26 the tension member is flexibly connected with threaded member 27 which is screwed into the lower end of flexible member 10 and is provided with a bore 28 through which the bottom link 26 extends, said bottom link being formed with a head or bend 29 outside of bore 28, by which the tension member is prevented from being drawn through the threaded member 27.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the tension member is slightly longer than the flexible member 10. This gives a little play and prevents binding of the flexible member when the same is being worked through crooked and tortuous passages. The link structure at the operative end of the flexible member provides means permitting the head end of the flexible member to turn in any direction, which is not possible where the flat ribbon tension member 23 is employed elsewhere in the flexible member, because the member 23 will only bend across one plane.

This is desirable in pushing the flexible member through a passageway, as greater force can thereby be exerted by the thrust of the same. At the same time, the head end should be flexible in any direction to accommodate itself to the nature of the obstruction which it meets.

Upon the threaded member 27 is screwed a cleaning-head 30. It will be seen that this head 30 is readily removable and can, therefore, be made interchangeable, heads having different characteristics being successively applicable where desired. The cleaninghead shown comprises a plurality of hook members 81 lying within the planes of the outer limits of the head 30, all of said hook members being sharp-pointed ends bent or curved so that the ends extend in a plane substantially parallel with the lower face of the head. A very satisfactory and practical method of applying the hook members 31 to the head, we have found to consist in simply making the desired number of perforations in the head and setting through the same the ends of staples 32, thereafter bending said ends outside of the face of the head member to form the hooks 31 as shown, each staple providing two hooks which are, by the aforesaid bending, secured in position on the head.

The operation of our device will be apparent. The flexible member 10 is worked through the passageway, the side walls of the head 30 engaging the walls of the passageway preventing any catching or stick ing from the hooks 31. Finally, the head 30 and hooks 31 thereon are brought into contact with the obstruction. The operator then, by means of the handle 19 and the tubular member 18, cooperating with the spiral grooves 15, causes the member 10, and with it the head 30, to rotate in a direction to drive the hooks 29 into the obstruction. If the obstruction consists of material which may readily be broken to pieces, such as wadded paper, continued rotation of the hook members against said obstructions will tear the same into shreds, and at the same time the pressure exerted by the device upon the obstruction will force the same onwardly where flushing will readily carry it into the sewer. If the obstruction consists of such material as rags, or paper too tough to be torn to pieces, hair, vegetables, etc., the hooks 31 will be caused to fasten intothe body of such obstruction and it may then be withdrawn by pulling backwardly on the handhold 17. In this operation the tension member 23 takes all of the pull and a large amount of force may be exerted without any possible injury to the device. Even blocks of wood maybe grappled in this manner and withdrawn from the passageway, and such obstructions as pieces of wire, corset steels, strings, etc, are readily grappled and withdrawn.

It will thus be seen that our invention provides an article of a high degree of usefulness and which is extremely eflicient for the purposes intended. It can be manufactured very cheaply and the field of its use is large.

o claim:

1. A device for removing obstructions from passageways in plumbing comprising an extended flexible member, a hooked head secured to the flexible member, a handle, a tension member formed of a flat steel ribbon extending from the handle to the head, and means for rotating the head.

2. A device for removing obstructions from passageways in plumbing comprising an extended flexible member, a hooked head secured to one end of the flexible member, a handle secured to the other end of the flexible member, said handle being formed with an interior cavity and an aperture leading therefrom, a flat steel ribbon extending through said aperture and having an enlarged portion within the cavity, the other end of said ribbon being connected with the head, and means to rotate the head.

3. A device for removing obstructions from passageways in plumbing comprising an extended flexible member, a hooked head secured to one end of the flexible member, a handle secured to the other end of the flexible member, said handle being formed with an interior cavity and an aperture leading therefrom. a flat steel ribbon extending through said aperture and having an enlarged portion within the cavity, a plurality of interconnected links connecting said ribbon with said head; and means to rotate the 7 the flexible" member and turned forwardly and angularly from the front face of the head to form a series of hooks said staples being located in that portion of the head which is extended beyond the flexible member, and means to rotate the head.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN A. MORRISON. JACOB H. LEVIN. lVitnesses:

H. A. BOWMAN, v A. M. ROYAL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. C. 

